The Art of Brewing Exhibition

Eston Arts Centre is launching The Art of Brewing later this month; a one-of-a-kind collaboration of beer and art. Head brewer, beer blogger, and co-founder of The Steam Machine Brewing Co., Nick Smith, will be joining the Arts Centre team for this event, along with label designer Michael Sutton from Altogether Creative and Clare Moore from Brewery Jewellery, who creates beautiful jewellery using craft beer can labels. Nick, with his extensive knowledge of the evolution of beer and brewing, will participate in interactive digital sessions and beer tastings.

The exhibition’s curator, Mark James, shares his hometown with Nick, and has a passion for craft breweries, having worked in the industry as part of his beer journey. Working alongside the director of Eston Arts Centre, Kirsty Childs, the theme of the first exhibition of 2023 is a collaboration of accessible craft beer and art with no limits.

Nick and his wife Gulen founded The Steam Machine Brewing Co. back in 2015, offering something unique to their industrial community. The Steam Machine will now be bringing their beer to Eston, following in the footsteps of iron ore mined from the Eston hills, transported on a steam train on the Stockton & Darlington Railway nearly 175 years ago, past what is now Newton Aycliffe (where the brewery is located) to the blast furnaces.

The exhibition will showcase Michael’s unique designs (which also appear on Steam Machine branding), and serve a selection of Nick’s beer throughout an interactive month of art and craft beer in the gallery. Additionally, there is a pop-up bar, ‘The Vault’, which provides a welcoming space to enjoy the exhibition and have a drink or two.